Diagonal brace for bulkhead flat cars



May 14, 1963 w. HENDRICKER 3,0 7

DIAGONAL BRACE FOR BULKHEAD FLAT CARS Filed Feb. 2, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet1 INVENTOR fa; 76m

ATTORNEY y 1963 G. w. HENDRICKER 3,089,437

DIAGONAL BRACE FOR BULKHEAD FLAT CARS Filed Feb. 2. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet2 INV EN TOR GEORGE W fiewamclrfl? ATTORNEY This invention relates torailroad flat cars of the type wherein substantial bulkheads are fixedat the ends of the cars and extend from side to side of the car and areabout as high as they are wide. Being of appreciable height, and suchcars designed for carrying heavy lading, such as plywood, etc., whichshifts against said bulkheads during service movements of the car, it isdesirable that additional means of support be provided in the form of abrace to take impact shocks against the bulkheads. This is the principalobject of the invention.

It is another object of the invention to provide such bracing means asan adjustable fixture to the car, and which may be folded intermediateof its ends out of the way when the car is being loaded, and thenextended to diagonal position from near the top of the bulkhead to theside sill of the car remote from the bulkhead, and thus provide a simpleand eflicient means of additional support to the bulkhead, the operationof which does not require removal of bolts, pins, or locking pieces.Being fixed to the car there is little danger of the brace being losttherefrom when the car is unloaded. The design does not require that thedevice be removed from the car when the car is being loaded or unloaded.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent fromthe following description of the invention which has reference to theaccompanying drawing illustrating one practical embodiment of theinvention, and wherein FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one end of abulkhead fiat car illustrating the diagonal braces attached to thebulkhead and showing one of the braces in folded position forunobstructed loading of the car.

FIGURE 2. is a similar view showing both of the braces in extendedposition as they would appear when the car is loaded.

FIGURE 3 is a top view of the top portion of the brace.

FIGURE 4 is a view at right angles to FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the lower portion of the brace.

FIGURE 6 is a view at right angles to FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is an end elevation of the side sill bracket.

FIGURE 8 is a side elevation of the side sill bracket.

FIGURE 9 is an top elevation of the bulkhead bracket.

FIGURE 10 is a side view of the bulkhead bracket.

FIGURES 11 and 12 are side and end views respectfully of the adjustingnut for the lower portion of the brace.

FIGURES l3 and 14 are side and end views of the safety toggle or detentfor the side sill bracket.

FIGURES 15 and 16 are side and end views of the locking bar or detent.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, there is shown in FIGURES l and2 a railroad flat car indicated generally at 10 and which includes afloor 12 suitably mounted upon car trucks indicated at 14. The car ofcourse is provided with substantial side sills 16 which extend from endto end of the car.

Across the ends of some of such cars are provided substantial bulkheadssuch as indicated at 18, which extend the width of the car end and areabout as high as they are wide. These bulkheads, being of substantialheight, need bracing to maintain them in upright position Patented May14, 1963 and to resist the shocks to which they are constantly subjectedduring service movements of the car.

I therefore provide foldable braces for each of these bulkheads, eachcomprising two pivotally united parts. Only one of these braces will bedescribed as it will be understood they are identical and that two areprovided for each bulkhead as shown.

A bulkhead bracket 20* is provided which is fixed to the bulkhead, indiagonal position thereon, adjacent to the upper inner corner of thebulkhead. This bracket is in the form of a clevis provided with twospaced arms having registering holes 22 therethrough through which a pin24 extends and pivotally holds within the clevis the flattened end 26 ofthe top portion 28 of the brace. The other or lower end of the portion28 is in the form of a clevis 30, having registering holes 32therethrough through which a pin 34 extends and pivotally holds withinthe clevis the flattened upper end 36 of the lower portion 38 of thebrace. The other end of the portion 38 is provided with an enlargedscrew-threaded portion 40 inwardly from the end of portion 38.Immediately adjacent the screw-threaded portion 40 is welded a strip ofmetal &2 to provide a locking seat for the safety toggle or detent 44,hereinafter described.

A side sill bracket is provided comprising two welded together parts 46and 48 which together provide a trough like saddle for the lower part 38of the brace when in operating position. The part 46 comprises a pieceof fiat metal which is bent in angular form as at 50 providing one-halfof the saddle like trough. A triangular gusset 52 is welded along oneedge at right angles to the part 46. The other part 48 also comprises ametal piece having right angled flanges, one of which 54 is welded alongits edge to the part 46, normal thereto. Thus parts 46 and 48 haveflanges in parallel spaced relation. A semicylindrical wear piece 56 isprovided and positioned within the saddle formed by flange 54 and theupturned margin of part 46 to provide a seat for the brace wheninstalled therein. This side sill bracket is secured to the side sill 16of the car immediately below the overhanging ends of the floor boards.The longitudinal axis of the sill bracket is in line with thecorresponding axis of the bulkhead bracket 20 so that when the brace isinstalled it will extend diagonally between the upper corner of thebulkhead and the side sill as shown in FIGURE 2. When so installed, anut 58 is screwed onto the threaded part 4% of the lower portion 38 ofthe brace and screwed up almost tightly against the side sill bracket,but free enough so that the brace may be easily lifted therefrom. Thisadjustment permits varying the length of the brace between itsconnections with the bulkhead and the side sill to compensate for anychange of angularity of the bulkhead with respect to the floor of thecar due to service movements thereof. This adjustment also permits easeof removal of the brace when necessary without sacrificing its rigidity.The overhanging ends of the floor boards are cut away as at 39 so thatthe brace will be within the overall width of the fioor.

Mounted upon the under side of the overhanging end of the floor boardsimmediately above the sill bracket just described, is the hereinbeforementioned safety pawl or detent bracket 43, which is in the form of aclevis, and pivotally holds the pawl or detent 44 so that it depends bygravity over the rod portion 38 and prevents it from bouncing or beingaccidentally removed from the saddle 46. When, however, it is desired tounload the car, for example, the detent may be moved on its pivot out ofthe way so that the brace rod may be lifted from the saddle and made toassume the folded position shown in FIGURE 1.

A short length of chain 66 is attached at one end to 3 the end of thebrace portion 38 and at the other end to the side sill as indicated inFIGURES 1 and 2, so that the brace may not become disengaged from thecar.

A bracket 62 is also attached to the side sill of the car to hold theportion 38 of the brace when the brace is folded as shown in FIGURE 1.

Also a bracket is provided at the elbow of the two portions of the braceto maintain them in aligned position, when disposed as shown in FIGURE2. This bracket is shown in FIGURES 15 and 16 and comprises a plate likeportion 70 approximately as wide as the clevis '36, and provided with ahole 72 therethrough through which a bolt 75 (FIG. 2) may pass and alsothrough a corresponding hole 76 (FIGS. 3 and 4) in the clevis end ofportion 28 so as to pivotally hold the bracket to the brace. The bracketis of a length to underlap the two pivotally united ends of portions 28and 38 and thus hold them in alignment. At the lower inner side of theplate portion a hook member 74 is welded on edge to the plate portion soas to extend substantially normal thereto. The hook portion is adaptedto hook over the end of portion 38 and thus hold the jointed members inalignment. in the area of the hook portion the plate portion 70 is bentslightly as at 77, and the free edge of the hook portion 75 is chamferedat the same angle as at 78. Edge 78 and portion 77 are spaced slightlymore than the diameter of the brace portion 38, so that when the braceis to be folded, the detent is swung out of the way, the brace liftedfrom sill bracket 46, and then the portion 38 pivoted on pin 34 until itis at the angle of the edge 78 and portion 77 when the plate 70 may beswung laterally on bolt 75 as a pivot, out of alignment with the brace,at which time the brace may be folded as shown.

From the foregoing it is evident that I have devised a simple bracingmeans for the bulkhead of bulkhead flat cars, which brace is adjustablefrom an extended bracing position to a foldable stored position, andwhich brace not only supports the bulkhead but also assists in retainingthe load on the car. It will be understood that the brace of myinvention could be used to support a bulkhead at any locationtransversely along the length of the car, and when so located havebraces extending from the bulkhead to the underframe on opposite sidesof the bulkhead.

aving thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

The combination with a freight car having an upright bulkheadtransversely of said car, and an underframe, of a foldable brace, inextended position, disposed diagonally from the upper outer corner ofsaid bulkhead to the side of said underframe remote from the bulkhead,one end of said brace being pivotally attached to said bulkhead and theother end of said brace being removably attached to said underframe,means intermediate of the ends of said brace providing a foldable jointfor said brace, second means secured to said side sill to removablyreceive said other end of said brace in its folded position, meansmovably attached to said joint to prevent said joint from accidentallyfolding, said underframe attachment comprising a trough-like bracketsecured to the underframe to receive the lower end of said brace, and adetent pivotally mounted to said underframe, depending over said braceto retain said brace in said bracket, and swingable to one side of saidbrace to permit removal of said brace from said bracket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,188,330 Schaefer June 20, 1916 1,785,342 Gilbert Dec. 16, 19302,038,143 Swanson Apr. 21, 1936 2,407,091 McMullen Sept. 3, 19462,819,688 Hall Ian. 14, 1958 2,826,156 Hall Mar. 11, 1958 2,835,522Serto May 20, 1958 2,845,292 Dunning et al. July 29, 1958 2,978,993 HallApr. 11, 1961

